In the past year alone, Seva-supported programs served one million people worldwide. 108,000 people received cataract surgery to restore their eyesight.

However, rather than building our own eye hospitals, creating our own programs or sending our own doctors to provide services, Seva works in partnership with existing local programs and institutions. This not only ensures that care services are effective and culturally appropriate, it creates a pathway to sustainability that allows programs to take root and grow.

Our work to develop direct eye care services in developing countries around the world is concentrated on three main program activities: Eye Hospital Clinical Services, Community-Based Services, and Mobile Eye Camps.

Community-Based ServicesIt's not enough to simply establish an eye care hospital or clinic. Special effort is required to make sure that people in need can actually make use of the services. The majority of blind people in developing countries live in remote areas, while most of the eye care providers and hospitals are situated in the cities. Women and children face extra challenges, including limited access to financial resources and health information, fewer travel options, and less social support in seeking care.

Seva supports outreach programs in underserved communities and trains local community health workers and volunteers to provide education on hygiene, nutrition, and poor vision. These health workers refer patients needing eye glasses or medical treatment to the nearest hospital and arrange their transportation to ensure that people are able to access the care they need.

Mobile Eye CampsBlind people in remote areas of Nepal, Tibet and Cambodia live far away from eye care services and are often unaware of available treatments or simply unable to reach a clinic. Mobile eye camps are a unique, incredibly effective way to bring the gift of sight to thousands of people who would otherwise remain needlessly blind. Seva supports mobile teams of doctors and support staff who travel to remote rural areas to provide outreach and education, diagnostic screening, and sight restoring surgeries to people in need.